Recording mechanism



June 8, 1937. J; w. BRYCE 4 2,083,362

RECORDING MECHANISM I Filed Jan. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fill-1.1.

BY ATTO R N EY June 8', 1937. J. w. BRYCE 323333352 RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

INVENTQR BY ATTORNEY Wax/3 June 8, 1937. Y J. w. BRYCE 2,083,362

- RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet s AMPLIFIER INVENT R BY ATTORNEY June 8, 1937. J BRYCE 2,083,362

RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 e [Q a I y m 1 h I o L J kg \m N June 8, 1937. J. w. BRYCE RECORDING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 10, 1931 llwl Ill XNVENT R BY ATTORNEY June 8, 1937. J. w. BRYCE RECORDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lNVENTOR BY ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORDING MECHANISM Application January 10, 1931, Serial No. 507,860

13 Claims. (01. 234-15) The present invention relates to weighing scales having a suitable pointeror otherv device for indicating the weight of loads placed upon the scale platform and particularly to scales in which provision has been made for printing the weight indicated upon a suitable record medium such as a check, sales slip, delivery slip, or the like.

This invention is an improvement in the construction illustrated and described in copendirig application Serial No. 450,041, filed May 5, 1930, by James W. Bryce now Patent No. 1,896,284, which illustrates a scale equipped with a movable pointer, a stationary graduated dial cooperating therewith, and auxiliary mechanism including printing mechanism having an operating handle and means for setting the type wheels to correspend with the weight indicated by the pointer. The operating handle in said application is provided with interlocking mechanism which prevents an operation of said handle when the type wheels have not been set to exact agreement with the weight indicated by the pointer thereby preventing an erroneous record being made upon 95 the record medium of the weightof the load placed on the .scale platform;

The primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved arrangement for controlling auxiliary mechanism for a scale, 39 such as weight recording mechanism, which has no direct connection to the weighing mechanism and has interlocking mechanism for positively preventing an operation of the auxiliary device until the said device has been positioned in exact accordance with the weight of the load.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking mechanism for the purpose mentioned which has no direct mechanical connection with the weighing mechanism such 40 as would impose a load on said mechanism in contradistinction to the mechanism illustrated and described in the aforementioned application thereby avoiding any possibility of undesired interference with the'functioning of the weighing 05 mechanism.

Another object is to provide novel means for notifying the operator when the printing mechanism has been unlocked and is ready for a printing operation.

50 A further object is to provide an interlock of the nature described which is more reliable in its operation, requires few adjustments, does not interfere with the accuracy of the weighing mechanism, and is incapable of derangement by 55 a careless or inattentive operator.

Various'objects, advantages, or features of the present invention will be pointed out in the following'specification and claims or will be clear from a study thereof and of the accompanying drawings:

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the upper part of a scale in which the present invention has been embodied.

Fig. 1a is a detail of the hammer and its car rier forming part of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section throughthe scale shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken substantially on the line 22 in said figure. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail front view of a modification of the intercontrol between the scale mechanism and recorder forming part of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 and is taken substantially onthe line 6-6 in said figure.

Fig. 7 is a front view of a scale such as the one shown in Fig. 1 and illustrates another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the.

tween the weighing and the auxiliary mechanisms K as used in place of the electro-optical form shown in Figs. '7 to 9.

The weighing mechanism may be of any desired construction and for purposes of the disclosure, the weighing scale of Patent No. 1,870,233 has been chosen as entering conveniently into the present combination. Only such parts of the scale as are necessary to an understanding of the instant invention will be described and shown. For details of the scale, reference may be had to aforesaid patent. It will be sufficient to remark that the weighing mechanism is contained in a casing or cabinet standing upright on a suitable base carrying a base lever .system (not shown) supporting a platform. The base lever system transmits the force of the load on the platform to a draft rod 6 which rocks an intermediate beam or lever I connected by a tape 8 to pendulums 9 and intermediate even balanced lever Ill. The cabinet l2 has its upper part somewhat cylindrical in shape to house the dial 3, pointer l4 and parts of the interlocking mechanism to be described hereinafter. A suitable pane of glass closes the opening in front of the dial and renders the cabinet dust-tight and at the same time permits the dial to be viewed. The pointer I4 is rigidly mounted upon a shaft I5 supported by anti-friction bearings l6 carried by the frame I! which supports the pendulum system. A pinion l9 meshing with a rack 20 carried by balanced lever l0 provides the necessary connection between the weighing mechanism and the pointer |4 so that the weight of loads on the platform of the scale will be indicated by the pointer H in a well-known manner. The present capacity or weighing range of the scale is 500 lbs. and accordingly, the pendulum system is so designed that rack 20 will move pinion l3 and pointer l4 a single rotation for a movement of the pendulum system from zero load to 500 lbs. load. The dial I3 has a single row of graduations at pound distances apart and is graduated from 0 to 500 lbs. Any load on the scale within these limits will move the pointer H to the point opposite dial l3 which is graduated to indicate the active load.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 a mirror 2| is mounted upon the right end of shaft l5 (Fig. 2) with its reflecting face inclined at an angle to the axis of the shaft l5.

A shaft 22, coaxial with shaft l5 and spaced therefrom, carries an arm 23 fast thereto and is journalled in a bearing 24 carried by the main frame. The arm 23 and parts carried thereby will be collectively referred to hereinafter as the finder, intercontrol, sensing or reading mechanism to inter-associate or cooperatively connect the weighing mechanism to the auxiliary mechanism, or to state it more specifically to govern the correct setting of the type wheels in agreement with the weight indicated by finding sensing, or reading the displacement of the pointer l4. The finder 23 holds part of an optical device whichincludes a light source which may consist of an incandescent lamp 25 having a concentrated filament and a lens system 26 which preferably is arranged as a condenser to cause the rays of light from source 25 to be concentrated in a beam or pencil of light directed horizontally upon the center of mirror 2|.

It will doubtless be found desirable in practice to enclose the light source 25 in a suitable lamp housing having a mirror or reflector for the purpose of efllciently utilizing the light from source 25 thereby reducing the size of light source necessary to secure best results.

The light source 25, its housing, and lens systern 26 are'all carried by a bracket 2'l'fastened to the arm 23. Mounted in an opening 28 formed on the free end of the arm 23 is a mirror 29 facing downwardly and arranged to be substantially horizontal so that under certain circumstances the beam of light cast 011 mirror 29 by mirror 2| will be reflected downwardly by mirror 29 toward the right upon the center of a mirror 30 fastened to the right end (Fig. 2) of shaft 22 and thence will be reflected horizontally to the right. It is preferable that for best results the direct horizontal beam from source 25 striking mirror 2| and the reflected beam from mirror 30 should be both coaxial with the shafts l5 and 22. The horizontal beam from mirror 30 is directed through a relatively small opening or slit in a member 3| into the window of a light sensitive medium such as a photoelectric cell 32, the latter and the member 3| being mounted upon a suitable bracket 33 carried by the main frame. If desired the photoelectric cell 32 may be shielded from the effects of stray light by means of a suitable housing.

The hub of the arm 23 has fixed thereto a bevel gear 34 by means of which the part 23 and the parts carried thereby, the whole constituting the finder, may be rotated about the center of shaft 22 as an axis in a manner to be described in de tail later herein. A pair of collector rings 35, carried by an insulating bushing mounted upon the hub of the arm 23, are connected to the light source 25 and, through brushes 36 carried by a bracket 31 attached to the main frame, are connected to the source of current for operating the light source 25.

The printing mechanism is contained within a casing 38 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is shaped to conform to the contour of the main scale casing |2.

A shaft 39, journaled in frames 40 in the casing pointer M by simply turning the handle of crank 4| until the arm 23 and pointer l4 correspond angularly, that is, until their longitudinal axes are parallel. The ratio of the gearing is such that one revolution of crank 4|- will move the finder through a range equivalent to pounds on the scale dial 3.

The type wheel 43 is provided with one hundred type characters reading from 00 pounds to 99 pounds to correspond with each division on the scale dial over a range of 100 pounds. A second type wheel 41, adjacent to the type wheel 43, is carried by a short shaft 48 supported by the left printer frame 40 (Fig. l) and is provided with two sets of type characters reading from 0{ to 4 representing hundreds of pounds. While one set of characters may be dispensed with, it is preferred to use two sets in order to permit the type wheels to be moved the shortest distance, in either direction, from positions corresponding to a certain load point to the posi tions corresponding to a different load point. Normally the type wheel 41 is positioned so a zero type is presented at the printing line when the finder is set vertically to coincide with the zero on the scale dial 3. An obvious alternative is to omit the 0 type legends and leave the 0" positions of the type wheels blank in order to avoid printing a cipher from the wheel 4'! when the load weighed is less than 100 pounds.

A transfer disk 49 is fast to type wheel 43 and is provided with a single tooth 50 adapted to engage the teeth of a pinion 5| integral with type wheel 41. It will be clear that a complete revolution of type wheel 43 in either direction will bring the tooth 50 into engagement with the teeth of pinion 5| and turn the type wheel 41 one tooth. Thus, if the finder is to be turned from zero position to bring the free end thereof into angular coincidence with the pointer 4 indicating 4|5 pounds, for example, the type wheel 43 will need to be revolved four and a fraction times by means of crank 4| until the finder corresponds angularly with the pointer l4 and at each revolution of type wheel 43 the type wheel 41 will be advanced one incremen. or tooth space or four tooth spaces in all. The foregoing operation will bring the 4" type character on type wheel 41 and the 15 type character in type wheel 43 to the printing line so that 415 will be eventually printed. The shaft 39 rigidly carries both crank 4| and type wheel 43. Since one revolution of the crank moves the finder through an are equal to a range of 100 lbs. of the scale dial, as previously explained, then when the type wheel 43 has made one revolution, the finder will have covered a 100 lb. arc. Therefore, in the selected example when type wheel 43 makes four revolutions plus the fifteen hundredths of a revolution corresponding to fifteen units, the finder will have moved through an are covering 400 lbs. plus fifteen hundredths of the 1001b. are or through a total are of 415 lbs. of the scale dial. The entire finder and the scale pointer shaft l5 are spaced apart and separate so that movement of one can have no deterrent effect on the other. If the finder is now turned to correspond angularly with the zero point on scale l3 the pinion will be reversely turned one tooth for each of the four complete revolutions and slightly more of handle 4| required to bring the finder back to its original upright position in consequence of which the type wheels 43 and 41 will again present their zero positions at the printing line.

The printing handle 52 projects through a slot 53 in the casing 38 and is fixed to a shaft 54 journalled in the frames 48 supporting the printing mechanism. An arm 55 is secured to the shaft 54'and is normally held against a fixed pin 56 by means of a spring 51. A link 58 is pivotally connected to the end of arm 55 and also to a member 59 journalled upon a shaft 80 carrying a printing hammer 6|. A three armed latch member 62 pivoted on the member 59 is normally held by a spring 63 with the hooked portion 64 overlying and in engagement withan arm 65 secured to shaft 68. The hammer 6| is pivotally mounted by pin 6H1 (see Fig. 10.) upon an arm 6 fast to the shaft 68, and is resiliently held against a stop pin 6|2 carried by the said arm by means of a spring 66.

The tail 81 of the latch 62 is adapted to cooperate with a trip stud 68 having an eccentric portion which may be adjusted by turning the stud 68 so as to adjust the point at which tripping vof the latch 62 occurs. The arm 55 is provided with a projection 69 adapted to cooperate with one arm of a locking member 10 held by a spring 1| against a fixed stop 12. An armaturecarried by the other arm of member 10 is adapted to be attracted by a locking magnet I3 carried by the frame of the printing mechanism.

Pivoted at 14 is a type aligning member 15 having a tooth 16 adapted to engage interdental spaces 11 formed in the type wheel 43 and corresponding with the type characters. An arm 18 fast-upon shaft 54 is connected to the member 15 by means of a link 19 having a pin and slot connection with an arm of said member 15, a spring 88 normally holding the pin in the right end of the slot (Fig. 3).

The casing 38 of the printing mechanism is formed with a slot 8| into which may be slipped a suitable card or other record medium such as a bill or salesslip previous to operating the handle 52 to cause type wheels 43, 41 to print upon said medium. A suitable inking ribbon 82 is provided and may be operated in any desired manner. Since the ribbon mechanism can be of any desired type no details will be given herein as it does not constitute a part of the invention.

or intercontrol, is connected to the source of current 85 through collector rings 35 and brushes 36 and is constantly illuminated. The signal lamp 86 in series with magnet 13 is not Miminated except when contacts 84 close to connect both magnet 13 and lamp 86 to the source of current 85. a 4

The lamp 86 may be mounted in the casing 38 near the lower right hand front corner thereof 7 (Fig. 1) or the lower left hand corner as viewed in Fig. 3 behind a circular opening 81 which may be provided with a pane of glass 88 of brilliant hue such as the color red so that the operator will know instantly when'the magnet 13 has been energized to unlock the operating handle 52 since the lamp 88 will be illuminated simultaneously with the energization of said magnet.

The operation of the mechanism just described will now be described in detail, it being assumed that a load of 450 pounds has been placed on the scale platform thereby causing the pointer I4 to indicate that weight on the dial I3. The operator slides the record medium into the slot 8| so that the said record medium occupies a position between the inking ribbon 82 and the platen on the printing hammer 6|. The next stop is to grasp the handle 4| and turn it forwardly in the manner already described herein to position the type wheels 43, 41 to present both the 4 type character on the wheel 41 and the 50 type characters on the wheel 43 at the printing line. If thefinder previously coincided angularly with the pointer |4 when said pointer was in the zero position, the handle 4| will have to be turned four and one-half times in order to again bring the finder into angular coincidence with the pointer '|4 in its new position. The finder may be set approximately by observing its movement through the glass front protecting the dial l3 which is ring-shaped to permit viewing the interior of the cabinet. When the operator sees that the finder is nearing angular coincidence with the pointer |4 he will turn the handle 4| more slowly thereby causing the beam of light reflected from mirror 30 to gradually approach the slit in member 3| until eventually the beam passes through said slit into the photoelectric cell 32.

As soon as the beam of light enters said photoelectric cell amuch stronger flow of current will be caused to fiow through the relay 83iwith the consequence that the relay will closei its contacts 84 thereby illuminating the sign lamp 86 and energizing the magnet 13 which w 11 attract its armature to unlock the operating handle 52 of the printing mechanism by removin the obstructing arm of member 18 from the pa h of projection 69 so that the operating handle 52 will be free to be depressed. When the lamp 88 becomes illuminated the handle 4| will be released instantly by the operator who will then depress the handle 52 to effect printing of the weight indicated by the pointer |4 upon the record medium since the type wheels 43, 41 will now be in exact agreement with the weight indicated by the pointer l4.

A depression of handle 52 moves link 18 to the right (as viewed in Fig. 3') to thereby root; aim ing pawl 15 counterclockwise into mesh with a tooth space H which corresponds to the even pound position of the type wheel 43 nearest 5 the weight on the scale. The type wheel 43 is thereby locked in position so that the printing will be effected with the wheel 43 stationary. As the handle 52 is moving the pawl to lock the type wheel 43, it forces the link 58 to the right 7 and as a result the hook in the latch 62 will 2 become disengaged from the arm 65 whereupon the spring 89 will rock the shaft 60 in a clockwise direction until the arm 6 to which said spring 89 is attached strikes a fixed pin 90. When this happens the momentum imparted to the hammer 6| will carry the hammer a further amount upwardly against resistance of spring 66 to cause a platen on the hammer to force the record medium and the inking ribbon 82 against the type characters on the type wheels 43, 41 at the printing line. It will thus be seen that the hammer will strike a percussive blow at the printing line thereby ensuring a clear impression of the type characters upon the printing medium.

If it should happen that the finder has not been properly positioned, that is, if it should happen to be a pound or two displaced from the correct position as would happen if the 'handle were moved too far, the beam of light reflected from the mirror 30 will not enter the slit or opening 40 in member 3|; therefore the photoelectric cell will not be strongly energized and as a consequence the relay 83 will not be energized to an extent sufllcient to close the contacts 84. It will be seen, therefore, that in this case the magnet 13 will not be energized and the obstructing arm of locking member 10 will remain in the path of the lug 69, and arm 55 and prevent movement of the operating handle 52. It is clear from the foregoing that the arrangement including the light source 25, the mirrors 2|, Z9, 30, photoelectric cell 32, the amplifier relay 83 and magnet 13 provides a device for reading or sensing the displacement of pointer [4 for the positioning of the type wheels and an interlock or intercontrol which positively prevents a printing operation from taking place unless the finder has been properly positioned in angular coincidence with the pointer 14. In other words, the finder must be placed with its axis substantially parallel with the axis of the pointer l4 before the beam of light will be reflected through the opening in the mem--- ber 3| into the photoelectric cell.

Figs. 5 to 10 illustrate several modifications in the construction just described, similar reference characters being used as much as is possible to indicate identical parts in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The printing mechanism is identical in the several modifications and is similarly unlocked when magnet 13 is energized.

There is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 a modified form of the finder shown in Fig. 2. In the modification referred to the optical system includes a light source 25a and a photoelectric cell an carried by a triangular frame 23a on shaft 7 22a. Source Z5a and cell 32a are arranged for aosaeoa cooperating with a mirror 2! a mounted upon the shaft IS with its surface parallel with the axis of the shaft i5. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the normounted upon the hub of frame 23a and cooperating with brushes 36a mounted upon a fixed bracket 31a, serve to connect the photoelectric cell 32a and the light source 25a to the circuits shown in Fig. 4. It will be observed that a slit 93 in the housing of light source Z5a concentrates a beam of light on the mirror Zia and the latter reflects said beam through a similar slit 94 in the housing of the photoelectric cell 3211.. This is also the situation that exists when the pointer and finder Z311 have been properly alined regardless of the position of the pointer. It is a simple, Well -known fact of optics that when a mirror turns through an angle with respect to an in-- cident ray, that the reflected ray shifts through twice said angle. Thus, in Fig. 5, if mirror Zia carried by pointer [4 moves through an angle with respect to the finder, the beam reflected from mirror Zia to photocell 320. will depart from the line of reflection indicated in Fig. 5 by twice the angle of shift of the mirror. Further, if the finder moves through an angle with respect to the mirror Zia; the incident ray will shift through said angle and the photocell will also shift through the same angle. The re flected ray will have shifted through the same angle with respect to its line of direction shown in Fig. 5 but since the photocell has in addition shifted in the opposite direction through said angle, the photocell will now have shifted a total of twice said angle with respect to the new line of reflection. Therefore, it is clear that movement of the pointer H or the finder in eitherdirection through a small angle will cause the beam of light to be deflected through twice the angle of deflection of pointer H with respect to the finder, consequently great accuracy may be secured in the setting of the finder, and it will be found that the magnet 13 will be energized and the lamp 86 illuminated only when the finder has been adjusted to the exact point at which the type wheels 43, 4! correspond with the weight indicated by the pointer I4.

It may here be noted that in regard to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, for reasons similar to those just stated, the deflection of mirror 21 through any angle will shift the reflected beam through twice such angle. Similarly, the shifting of mirror Z9 through any angle with. respect to the beam projected thereon will shift the reflected beam from mirror 29 through twice said angle. Thus, the slightest variation from coincident position of either the pointer or the finder will sensitively and with multiplied effect throw photocell 32 out of the line of encrgization.

A further modification is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 showing the manner in which the locking mechanism may be controlled by means of a pivoted beam connected with the weighing mechanism in such a manner as to eliminate any possibility of imposing a load reaction or interferent effect on the weighing mechanism. The scale shown in Fig. 7 is identical in construction iii) ' with the scale shown in Fig. 1 and has identical printing mechanism, a dial I3 and a pointer I4.

Previously mentioned intermediate beam 1 is fulcrumed to the frame on knife edge bearings 91. Connected to the left end of beam 'l (Fig. 9), by means of a link 99, is a second beam I which is fulcrumed at its right end on a vertically movable slide IOI guided by a slot I02 and pins I03, suitable stops I04 cooperating with a lug I05 on slide IOI serving to limit movement of the said slide in either direction. The slide IN is provided with rack teeth I06 meshing with a pinion I0I rigidly attached to a bevel gear meshing with a bevel gear I08 which is connected through a train of bevel gears, shafts, and spur gears to the shaft 39 carrying the type wheel 43 hereinbefore described. Fig. 9 illustrates the positions occupied by the various parts when the type wheels present zeros at the printing line and the, pointer I4 is indicating zero, no load being on the scale platform, and it will be noted-that the beam I00 is substantially horizontal when the foregoing conditions are present. The beam I00 has substantially no variable effect on the weighing mechanism. Its fixed effect is due solely to its weight and the distribution of its weight and, if desired, this effect may be counterbalanced in a number of ways well-known to the art. Initially, with the scale at zero load position, beam I00 is in a definite position, preferably the horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. When the weighing mechanism is acted on by a load, beam I00 rocks counterclockwise to take a downwardly inclined position. As will be explained shortly, in order to position the recording mechanism to record the load, the fulcrum of the beam I00 is moved vertically downward and is in correct control position when it is again horizontal and in its initial, no load position. Therefore, when the recording means is in load-corresponding position, the effect of the beam I00 on the I weighing mechanism is the same as when the weighing mechanism is at zero load, so that the beam I00 has no ultimate variable effect on the weighing mechanism but, at most, only a fixed effect which may be compensated for and counteracted in the usual manner by a zero adjustment. It may be noted that during a weighing operation, the beam I00 simply moves about its fulcrum carried on slide IOI. Further, since the beam is fulcrumed on slide I0 I, it exerts no leverage on the fulcrum and therefore when the beam is rocked by its connection to weigh beam 1, it will not tend to move slide IOI. It may therefore be properly considered that the finder including beam I00 has no deterrent effect on the weighing mechanism.

Mounted upon the beam I00 is a mirror 2Ib inclined at an angle to a vertical plane including the longitudinal axis of the beam I00. A light source 25b and condenser lens system 26b are mounted vertically above mirror 2Ib so that a beam of light projected upon the mirror 2 ID will be reflected from said mirror through a second condenser lens system 26c and slit 3Ib into a photoelectric cell 321) (Fig. 8), the second condenser lens system and the photoelectric cell being above and also to one side of mirror 2Ib, when the beam I00 occupies a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 9, in which position it will be recalled the type wheels 43, 41 and pointer I4 both stand in zero position. It will be understood that the circuits are arranged as in Fig. 4 except for the collector rings 35 and brushes 36 which are not needed in the modification under consideration.

When a load is placed upon the scale platform the left end of beam 1 will be drawn downwardly a distance proportional to the load (Fig.

9) thereby also depressing the corresponding end of beam I00 proportionately to the load with the consequence that the beam of light reflected from mirror 2Ib will be deflected and will no longer pass through the slit 3Ib.

As a result the photoelectric cell 32b will not receive enough light to cause energization of the relay 83 to a degree sufflcient to cause the contacts 84 to close. The operator now grasps the handle M and turns it in the proper direction to lower the right end of the beam I00 until the said beam again assumes a horizontal or level position. The train of gearing connecting the slide" IN and the shaft 39 is so proportioned that if a load of 450 pounds, for example, 'is placed upon the platform of the scale, it will require four and one-half turns of handle M to lower the right end of beam I00 an amount sufficient to restore the beam I00 to a level position. While the beam I00 is being brought back to a level position the beam of light reflected from mirror 2 lb will move towards the slit 3Ib and will eventually pass through said slit and again enter the photoelectric cell at which time the type wheels 43, 41 will present type characters representing 450 pounds at the printing line and the lamp 86 will be illuminated as described before thereby indicating that the magnet 13 has unlocked the operating handle 52. The operator then immediately releases the handle 4I and depresses the operating handle 52 to cause the printing of the weight upon the record medium in the manner previously described.

It will be noted that the center of mirror 2lb will be lowered by the leveling operation. and, when the beam I00 has been leveled properly, the beam of light reflected therefrom will be displaced away from its original position but will still be parallel to its original direction. If the slit 3Ib alone were used the beam of light reflected from the mirror 2Ib might not always enter the photoelectric cell after the beam I 00 has been leveled, particularly when the scale pointer indicates the maximum weight on the dial. For this reason, the condenser lens system-26c is interposed between mirror 2 Ib and photo cell 32b. The lens system 26c, the size of aperture 3Ib, and the distances of the mirror Ill) and photo cell 32b from the lens system and aperture are so proportioned as to direct suilicient light on the photo cell to energize it in all positions of the mirror when beam I00 is horizontal. For instance, at mid-position of mirror 2"], the reflected beam of light will preferably strike lens system 260 at the center and the lens system will converge the beam of light through aperture 3Ib and focus it on the photo cell. When the mirror 2Ib is above or below the mid-position, the reflected beam of light will strike condenser lens system 260 off center but the beam of light still being parallel to the direction shown in Fig. 7, the condenser lenses will still converge a sufficient portion of the light beam through aperture 3") to strike photo cell 3217 and energize the latter. one of its horizontal positions and, thereby, when the reflected beam of light is parallel to the direction shown in Fig. 7. When the load is placed on the scale, before the beam I00 is leveled, the lat- This is true only when the beam I00 is in.

' H6 having a weight H1 13, the lamp 8G, and contacts I20,

r as shown at 52 in Fig. 3 is free to be ter will be at an incline, and the beam light is" flected from mirror 2|bwill be inclined away from the direction shown in Fig. l and will either not strike lens system 260 at all or if it does, the lens system will direct the beam of light off to one side of aperture 3|b.

Fig. 10 illustrates diagrammatically a modified form of the arrangement shown in detail in Fig. 9, in which normally closed contacts carried by the beam I control indicating lamps and the magnet I3, said beam I00 being constructed as in said figure and controlled in identically the same manner as in Fig. 7 by means of the handle 4| through the gears Ill! and rack teeth I06 in slide |0|. Fixed upon the beam I00 are two spaced uprights I09 supporting normally closed contacts H0, IH insulated from said uprights and in series, respectively, with relay magnets H2, H3, the contacts H0, III having a common connection to one of the line wires ||4 connected to the source of current, while the relay magnets H2, H3 likewise have a common connection to the other line wire.

Freely pivoted at H5 to the beam I00 is an arm arranged to keep the axis of the arm H6 always vertical. The upper end of arm H6 extends between two insulating studs H8 each mounted upon one of the contacts H0, HI. It will be clear from a study of Fig. that rocking of the beam I00 in either direction will result in opening one of the contacts I I0, III without disturbing the other thereby effecting control of the relay magnets in a manner about r to be described.

Each relay H 2, tacts, the relay H2 tacts H9 and close H3 likewise opens H3 controls two sets of com being arranged to open con contacts I while the relay contacts |2| and closes con tacts I22. In series with the contacts H9 is a White lamp W while a green light G is in series with the contacts |2|, the lamps G and W having a common connection to one of the line wires H4 and the contacts H9, |2| having a common connection to the other line wire. The magnet I22 are all connected in series across the line wires H4.

The parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 10 when the pointer I4 indicates zero and the type wheels present zero characters at the printing line, the beam I00 being level, consequently both pairs of contacts H0, III are closed and connect the relays H2, H3 to the line wires H4. It is apparent that, as long as the beam I00 is level, both relays H2 and H3 will be energized and will hold the contacts H9, |2| open and the contacts 20, I22 closed so that no current can flow through either of the lamps G and W. Since the contacts I20, I22 are closed the relay I3 and lamp 88 will be connected in series to the line wires H4 and the printing mechanism will be unlocked owing to the magnet 13 having removed the obstructing arm of member ID from the path of the projection 69 so that the operating handle operated.

If a load of 450 pounds is placed on the scale platform the pointer I4 will move over the dial I3 and indicate said weight while the left end of beam I00 will be depressed proportionately thereby causing the weighted arm I I6 to open contacts HI owing to the resulting relative movement between beam I00 and arm I Hi. The opening of contacts I|| deenergizes relay inagnet i It thereby effecting closing of contacts i2l and opening of contacts I22, and as herelnbefore exilll hllilli tiiiitil plains-d as a result the greet. laminated indicating the d cranli ll must be turned to restore the beam I00 to level position while the lamp til will be extinguished and magnet 73 deenergized thereby releasing the member I0 which again locks the printing mechanism.

The lamps G and W preferably will be mounted in the casing 38 behind suitable windows bearing therein arrows indicating the direction in which the handle 4| must be turned in order to again bring the beam I00 to a level position and thereby set the type wheels #13, 41 to permit printing 450 pounds on the record medium by operating handle 52. I

When the handle 4| has been turned four and one-half revolutions in the proper direction the beam l00 will again assume a level position and contacts I II will recluse to effect reenergization of relay magnet H3 and reclosing of contacts I22 at the same time opening contacts l2| to extinguish the green lamp G. The closing of contacts l22 again causes the lamp B6 to be H- luminated and the magnet "I3 to be energized to unlock the printing mechanism. The operating handle 52 may now be depressed to print the weight upon the record medium.

Assuming that the next load to be weighed has the magnitude of 350 pounds and the handle ti has not been turned backwardly to restore the type wheels 43, 41 to zero position so that said type wheels are still in condition to print 450 pounds, the operations necessary to print 350 pounds will now be described. When the load of 350 pounds is placed on the platform of the scale the left end of beam I00 will be in an elevated position relative to its position during the printing of 450 pounds instead of depressed and as a consequence the contacts Iii) will open while the contacts III will remain closed. The relay H2 will be deenergized thereby opening contacts I20 and closing contacts H9 with the result that the white light W will become illuminated and signify that the handle 4| must be turned in the opposite direction to which it was turned to set the printing wheels 43, 47 to print 450 pounds. One revolution of handle 4| in the required direction causes the type Wheel 47 to turn backwardly to 3, the type wheel 43 being reversely rotated one full revolution so that when the type wheels 43, 41 will now present the numerals 350 at the printing line and the beam lllll will again be level, the white light will be extinguished and the lamp 86 illuminated to indicate to the operator that the handle 52 may be operated to print the weight upon the record medium.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 1 to 9, after each load has been weighed and the weight printed upon the record medium the load will of course be removed from the scale platform whereupon the pointer I4 will return to normal or zero indicating position. When this happens the mirrors 2|, 2Ia, or 2lb will be sharply tilted and the beams of light will be deflected an extent sufflcient to cause the photoelectric cells to relinquish control upon the relay till so that in each case the printing mechanism will be automatically locked. When a new load is placed on the scale, the finder may then be moved by operation of handle 4| in either a iorward or return direction, whichever is found most fitting, fromits previously occupied position into the new position of coincidence with the scale pointer whereupon the printing handle will again be released to permit the type w. We to print a record of the new load. In the case of the modification shown in Fig. 10 the left ends of the beams I and I will be raised as soon .as the load is removed from the scale platform and remain in such condition as long as the handle H and type wheels 43, 41 remain in the position last set. If a heavier load is to be weighed than before the left end of beam I00 will be depressed below the horizontal line passing through the point at which it is pivoted to the slide IOI with the consequence that the white lamp will be extinguished and the green lamp will become illuminated thereby indicating that the handle 4I must be turned farther forward than before to correctly position the type wheels 43, 41 to print the weight indicated by the pointer I4. It will clearly be seen'that the 'form of the invention shown in Fig. provides not merely an interlock between the printing mechanism and the weigh-' ing mechanism which positively compels the operator to position the type wheels in exact agreement with the weight indicated by the pointer but also provides a positive signal system which informs the operator the direction the handle H must be turned and also informs him when the printing wheels have been correctly set. If desired the lamp 86 may be dispensed with since the beam I00 will always be level when both lamps G and W are extinguished.

The stops I04 in the modifications shown in Figs. 7 to 10, prevent the operator from turning the handle 4| far enough to disarrange the mechanism and also serve to warn him that the handle 4I must be reversed in direction of motion if it is moved until the lug I05 strikes one or the other of stops I04 without the lamp 86 flashing.

The present invention, for purposes of illustration only, has been shown anddescribed as 40 embodied in certain specific forms, although it is desired to point out herein that it is not limited to the particular forms described herein and shown in the drawings but embraces any other forms which by the exercise of mechanical skill may be suited to meet various conditions found in practice.

I claim: 1. In a weighing scale, means displaceable according to a variable, apparatus separate from 5 the first-named means and including positionable mechanism positionable according to displacement ,of the first-named means and instrumentalities coacting with said positionable mechanism to effect a recording operation, a device for preventing the coaction of said instrumentalities with said positionalfle mechanism until the positionable mechanism has been positioned in accordance with displacement of the first-named means, and means jointly controlled by the first-named means and a part of the aforesaid apparatus for automatically disabling said preventing device immediately upon the positionable mechanism having been set in position corresponding to displacement of the firstnamed means.

2. In a scale, an element displaceable according to a variable, positionable mechanism, means operable in either one of two directions for pcsitioning said positionable mechanism according to the displacement of said element, means for signifying the direction in which the positioning means is to be operated to position the positionable mechanism in accordance with the displacement of said element, and means jointly operated by said element and by the firstnamed means for controlling said signifying means in accordance with the position of the positionable mechanism relative to the aforesaid element.

3. In a scale, means displaceable according to a variable, positionable value bearing means positionable in accordance with the displacement of the first-named means and instrumentalities coacting with the positionable means to manifest a value according to the position'of the latter, a

.of the first-named means. and means controlled by the photoelectric device to disable the preventing device immediately upon the positionable means having been positioned in accordance with aforesaid displacement.

4. In a, scale, an element displaceable according to a variable, recording means including positionable mechanism settable in accordance with the displacement of said element and instrumentalities coacting with the positionable mechanism to effect a recording operation, actuating means for setting the positionable mechanism, a device for preventing coaction of said instrumentalities with said positionable mechanism until the latter has been set in accordance with the displacement v of said element, and means for disabling said preventing device wh'en'the positionable mechanism has been set in accordance with the aforesaid displacement, comprising a mirror carried by said element, means for projecting a beam of light upon said mirror, a photo-sensitive cell for controlling the disabling of said preventing device, and means controlled by a part of the actuating means for directing said beam of light to said photo-sensitive cell when the positionable mechanism has been set in accordance with the aforesaid displacement.

5. In a, scale, means displaceable according to a variable, type elements, positioning means for setting said type elements in accordance with the displacement of the first-named means, instrumentalities coacting with said type elements for effecting printing operations, a device for locking said instrumentalities until the type elements have been positioned in accordance with the aforesaid displacement, a light source, a mirror cooperating therewith and controlled by said displaceable means in a, manner to rotate a beam of light received from said source in an are proportional to the aforesaid displacement, a photosensitive ce1l.located to receive said beam and connected to control disabling of the locking device when said "beam strikes said medium, and means controlled by the positioning means for directing the light reflected from said mirror'to the photo-sensitive cell to thereby effect disabling of the locking device when the type elements have been set in accordance with the aforesaid displacement.

6. In a scale; means displaceable according to a variable, means, including a photo-sensitive cell, for sensing the displacement of the firstnamed means, value bearing mechanism settable according to the aforesaid displacement, instrumentalities for coacting with the mechanism to manifest a value according to the displacement,

and a device controlled by the photo-sensltive cell for locking the instrumentalities until the secondnamed means has sensed the displacement of the first-named means.

7. In a weighing scale, mum-denominational order elements from which a multi-order record may be taken, instrumentalities operable for coacting with the recording elements to effeet a recording operation, a photo-cell device. a source of light, means for controlling transmission of light from said source to said photo-cell device and consequent energization of the latter and including an element interposed between the source and the photo-cell device operable according to a variable forefiecting a change in energization of the photo-cell device, and a circuit controlled by the photo-cell device when said change in energization of the latter is effected for controlling operation of said instrumentalities.

8. In a weighing scale, means operable according to a variable, recording means including positionable mechanism displaceable according to the operation of the first-named means, optical devices, a. photo-sensitive device controlled by said optical devices in accordance with the operation of the first-named means, and means controlled by said photo-sensitive device for governing displacement of the positionable mechanism.

9. In a weighing scale, means operable according to a variable, an auxiliary means, a photocell device, means for controlling energization of the photo-cell device including the first-named means, a circuit controlled by said photo-cell device in accordance with energization of the latter, and means controlled by said circuit for governing operation of the auxiliary means in accordance with the operation of said first-named means.

10. In a weighing scale, an element operable according to a variable, an auxiliary device, a

photo-sensitive cell stationary during the operation of said element, a source of radiant energy for said cell, a circuit controlled by the cell for controlling said auxiliary device, and means including said element for controlling the flow of energy from said source to said cell to vary said circuit and thereby govern operation of the auxiliary device in accordance with operation of said element.

11. In a weighing scale, a lever angularly displaced according to a variable, a device auxiliary to the lever, and a photo-cell control between the lever and said device for governing operation of the latter in accordance with the displacement of said lever.

12. In a scale, displaceable means including a lever angularly displaced according to a variable from a position in which the lever is at a pre determined angle to a vertical line, a device auxiliary to the displaceable means, an electrical control for said device, means for returning said lever after its displacement to a position parallel to the firstmamed position, and means rendered effective upon return of the lever to said parallel position for operating said electrical control.

13. In a scale, an element displaceable accord ing to a variable, an auxiliary electrically operable device, a control circuit therefor, a source of wave emanations, a photo-cell reactive to said wave emanations for governing operation of the control circuit, a second element having a path of travel constantly physically spaced from the path of travel of the first-mentioned element,

means for moving the second element at will to a position for cooperating with the first-named element to effect a change in the flow of emanations to the cell, and means operated by the cell upon aforesaid change in the emanations to the cell to effect a control operation by said circuit upon said device.

JAMES W. BRYCE.

DISCLAIMER 2,083,362.James W. Bryce, Bloomfield, N. J. RECORDING MEcHANrsM. Patent dated June 8, 1937. Disclaimer filed January 11, 1941, by the assignee, International Business Machines Corp. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 9, 10, 11, and 13 in said specification.

7 {Ofiicial Gazette February 11, 1.941.]

DISCLAIMER 2,083,362.James W. Bryce, Bloomfield, N. J. RECORDING MECHANQSM. Patent dated June 8, 1937. Disclaimer filed January 11, 1941, by the assignee, International Business Machines Corp. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 9, 10, 11, and 13 in said specification.

& [Oflicial Gazette February 11, 1941.] 

